The Immortal Prince
by cosmic-divinity
Summary: The Nagai family is the royal family of the Yaidian Kingdom. After an incident of falling off a high balcony, Kei lays in a pool of his own blood and officially pronounced dead by the physician when he suddenly gets up as if nothing had happened. Rumors spread quickly of the prince being immortal, even spreading to neighboring kingdoms.
1. Chapter 1

"He's gone. There's no pulse," the physician said with a heavy heart as he placed a hand on the prince's head that was now covered in blood from the fatal wound.

Princess Eri looked down from the balcony where she had been playing with her brother now wearing a look of horror as she saw his broken body lying in a pool of his own blood. She hadn't meant for him to be pushed so hard that it sent him over the railing.

"Oh, god, no..Kei.." she muttered before the tears began to run down her face.

The sobs hadn't come yet. She was still in shock and trying to process what just happened as the tears simply fell as she stared down at the body.

"I'm sorry, princess, but he is gone. He lost too much blood. It was a fatal head injury. I should go inform the queen."

He was about to leave when he suddenly froze, gazing down at the prince's body. It started with his fingers twitching then Kei slowly getting up with a groan, using his arms for support.

 _How did I end up..here?_

He looked around, dazed and confused, as he looked up at Eri on the balcony and himself on the ground floor. He glanced down with horror at his arms coated in blood and the pool of it around him. His breaths were short and panicked as he gazed up at the physician.

"H-how did this happen? How am I alive? Is this..my blood?" he asked in a breathless whisper, eventually getting onto his knees.

He vaguely remembered toppling over the railing of the balcony but nothing after that. When he tried to recall, it was all black like his mind couldn't process it. Now, everyone around was gawking at him like he had just climbed up from the pits of Hell. No one was talking, and it was irritating him. What was worse was that he couldn't logically explain what just happened. If this was his blood, he should be dead. There was no way medically that a human could survive or be conscious after losing this much blood.

"Um, yes, that is your blood..Prince Kei. You..y-you were dead. You fell from the balcony and landed on your head, cracked it open. I didn't feel any pulse what so ever. Clinically, you were gone, and now you're back."

The physician quickly knelt down and felt for the pulse just beneath his jaw from the artery in his neck. Just like nothing had happened, he felt the familiar pulsating feeling. He then inspected where his head had been cracked open, only to find it just fine. The hair had even grown back in as normal.

"I-I can't medically explain this. It's a miracle I suppose but scientifically impossible. I don't understand this." He slowly backed away and went to go inform the queen of the incident.

"Kei!" Eri called and ran down to the ground floor when she saw him getting up. "I can't believe this. You're alright!"

How it happened was the last thing on her mind as she hugged him, not caring that he was covered in blood. All she knew right now was that her brother was safe. Her legs nearly gave out from running even just that little distance, but Kei held her up.

"Eri, you shouldn't exert yourself like that. Come on, I'll help you to your room."

Kei decided it was best to shrug it off for now. It could've just been a miracle, but he felt that it was something else especially from the physician's reactions and the amount of blood. Servants and maids were already starting to clean it up. There was no doubt that this was going to be the talk of the kingdom. Rumors among the servants usually spread fast. He bit his lip thinking about what they were going to say but focused on taking care of Eri for now. Let them rumor what they will. He was still the prince after all. He would ensure that nothing would change that.

 _In the Western Territory_

Sweat dripped down from Kai's forehead as picked any weeds he found in the fields. The sun shone down harshly as it was just a little into the afternoon. Since his father had been arrested about a year ago, he was the only one who could work the fields as his grandpa couldn't afford to hire anyone. Kai didn't really mind since it gave him work to do. Of course, his grandpa insisted that he'd work the fields, and Kai should enjoy his youth and go travel, but Kai insisted on helping out, saying it would help him keep out of trouble.

With the weeding done, he wiped his face and headed back over to the house, dumping the weeds into the waste pile nearby to be burned.

"Ah, Kai. Done already?" his grandpa asked, getting up from the table.

"Yup, fields are weed free for now. I think we're due for some rain and maybe a storm tomorrow. The air is humid and heavy, which is a telltale sign of rain to come thankfully," he said, setting the basket down and smiling as he sat down at the table to join him.

"Here. You must be thirsty after laboring in that hot sun." He handed Kai a cold glass of water. "Fresh from the well, so it's nice and cool."

Kai nodded in thanks and gulped it down in less than a minute, sighing happily afterwards. Agriculture was hard work, but it was rewarding in the end when they'd get the payoff from selling their crop to the kingdom. It was about mid-season now, and the different crops were growing as they should.

"Say, Kaito, I hear a group from the royal palace will be visiting the town today. I hear the prince is looking for a new servant as well as general servants for the palace. I think you should take the opportunity. In all my years, I've only seen the palace from a distance. I've never actually been in it. It'd be a great experience since you're still young."

"I appreciate you thinking of me, but I have to help you out here. I can't just leave," Kai sighed, placing the glass to the side.

"It's alright, Kaito. I've saved up enough where I think I can hire a helper if I need it. I want you to go out into the world and see the world outside of the Western territories," he encouraged, clasping a hand over Kai's.

"Gramps," he muttered. "I..suppose I can at least go over to where they're going to be and see what happens. If you're sure about this."

"I'm certain of this, Kaito. The fields will be just fine."

"The prince's servant..I've heard some things about the prince. People are saying he's like immortal or something," Kai said, remembering what he had heard at the local tavern.

"Rumors that's what it is. I wouldn't believe any of it. You know how people can be."

Kai nodded, drinking the rest of the water before getting up with a groan.

"Well, I'm going to wash up. Might as well look my best for this."

He thanked him once more and headed over to the wash basin.

 _The prince..they say he died and came back to life. I wonder if any of it is true._

Once washed and wearing clean clothes, Kai waved as he headed out down the road that went through the woods and into the nearby town. Besides the fields, Kai always felt at peace in the woods. He enjoyed hearing the melodies of the birds and the natural sounds that filled the forest. It actually made him a bit nervous thinking that he could potentially be chosen as the prince's servant or just a general servant for the royal family. It would mean trading the nature that had always been around him since he was a kid to the gigantic walls and richness of the main palace.

He noticed a small crowd forming as he made his way into town, heart beating faster as he noticed a royal carriage parked in the middle of town. He had seen horses before, sure, but this was the first time being so close. They were huge and a dark brown color, but what really caught his eyes was the arrival of another carriage pulled by pure white horses.

"Wow," Kai whispered to himself and pushed his way through to the front of the crowd so he could see.

"It's the prince's carriage!" he heard hushed whispers and shouts.

That really got Kai looking as he eagerly waited with everyone. It took a few moments, but the door finally opened, and the crowd went quiet as the prince gracefully stepped out of it. He looked plain enough with the raven colored hair and fair skin that was common for the royal family. What really caught Kai's eyes was the color of the prince's eyes. They were a deep scarlet that made his gaze quite piercing. Kai was so busy focusing on that, he hadn't noticed that the prince was looking him up and down specifically, studying his physique and looks. Kai's breath caught in his throat as he noticed the prince walking forward, and he was heading right for him. He reminded himself of his manners and straightened up as the prince approached him.

"What's your name?" Kei asked, still glancing over the other.

"Um, it's Kaito..Kai for short if you prefer, my prince," he said, bowing lowly.

He hoped his manners were somewhat impressive. Many in the Western territories were farmers and laborers who weren't exactly known for their good manners.

"Hm, not bad. I'm rather impressed by your build and those golden eyes. They're much brighter and keen than the usual variations I see of it around here. So, tell me, would you be interested in serving me? Training is in order, but with you, at least I won't have to start with the basics," Kei said in a rather bored voice.

It was his mother who told him to seek out a new servant. She insisted that a royal should always have a servant of some sort by their side. It was proper. Like always, Kei had rolled his eyes but agreed, knowing better than to go against her wishes. He could do most things on his own anyway. It's not like he needed a personal servant.

Kai wasn't sure if refusal was even an option. He looked towards the ground, not wanting to look directly into those eyes, but he could feel them practically boring into him. He wondered what the prince would do if he did say no.

"O-of course. It'd be an honor to serve you."

"Excellent. We'll head back immediately."

Kai's words caught in his throat as he watched the prince starting to walk back to the carriage. He knew he was expecting him to follow. With a begrudging sigh, he followed after him.

"If I may, sir, I used to help my grandpa out with his fields. Could a message be sent to him, letting him know that I'll be going to the palace to serve you?" he asked, sounding as polite as possible.

Kei sighed before turning to one of the guards.

"It shall be done, my prince," he said and set out to relay the message to Kai's grandfather.

Kai took one last look behind him before climbing into the carriage after the prince. He knew this was what his grandpa wanted for him, but he couldn't help but worry as he watched the small town grow smaller and smaller.

"Um, if I may speak..why did you choose me?" Kai asked.

He remembered that the prince had looked him over, but out of everyone in that crowd, why him? Kei glanced at him with those scarlet eyes.

"You look like someone I can trust..I guess. I don't know. You were the one that caught my eye," he said with a shrug and looked back out the window again.

Kai nodded slowly and did the same, not exactly happy with the answer since it was still so vague, but he decided to take it as an honor. So far, he didn't seem like a monster or anything that he had heard from the rumors. He seemed normal enough.


	2. Chapter 2

Kai breathed a sigh of relief once they were within the shade that the castle provided. The day had started off at a cool temperature but that quickly changed as the sun had risen higher in the sky. He wiped some sweat from his brow as he followed after the prince. He was still rather unsure about this decision. He'd really rather be helping out his grandpa on the farm right now instead of being within these stone walls, not to mention that he had no formal training as a servant. He looked around in awe as he was led through the halls. The walls were lined with detailed tapestries of multiple colored threads and paintings depicting historical events and members of the royal family. Everything was extravagant and meticulously decorated. They passed multiple courtyards filled with trees and all different kinds of flowers. Some he didn't recognize, probably from farther away lands. One of the giant courtyards looked like a whole forest, completely shaded and with all kinds of trees. Kai took a mental note to go to that one once he had some free time.

"Um, Prince Kei..if I may, the courtyards here are beautiful," Kai said, clearing his throat some.

"I guess they're alright. Sometimes I'll read there instead of in the library," he said, keeping his eyes forward.

Kai sighed in relief that he didn't get snapped at. He was trying to be as polite as possible when talking to a royal. He knew most here probably didn't think much of a country bumpkin like himself, but he was determined to prove them wrong.

"You speak surprisingly well for someone from your territory," Kei said out of nowhere.

"Oh, well, thank you, my prince. That's probably because of my grandpa. He always taught me to be polite since he has some experience with palace life before he settled down."

"I see," he hummed and opened the door to his private chambers, showing Kai to a bed on the far side. "You'll be sleeping here in my chambers. This is your bed. My mother thought it best that my personal servant should sleep near me, and you'll accompany me always. We've had some..incidents with guests when it comes to me. I'm sure you've heard the rumors going on about me."

"Very vague ones about you being some sort of monster. I haven't heard much else besides that." Kai sat on the bed, surprised at how comfortable it felt.

"I'll say it simply then. I can't die..permanently at least. It started with an incident when I was younger. I fell off a balcony, busted my head on the floor and bled out, then sat up with wounds healed and everything as if nothing happened. Ever since then, there have been other incidents caused by guests poisoning me and all that. Now, the queen insists that I always be accompanied by a servant. I'm guessing you haven't been formally trained in defense and the sword, so I'll have you take lessons under one of our knights," Kei said. "Any questions?"

"I, uh, no, no questions. Geez, I had no idea. You really can't die?" he asked in disbelief. "I thought you were just known as a monster because you were a little tyrant."

"Oh, believe me, it's real. I'm sure you'll witness it sometime. I don't feel like dying right now to show you. Now, here's your new clothes. Put those on and meet me in the courtyard just outside of this room."

"Yes, sir," Kai said with a smile and started to look through the new clothes.

He gasped in awe at the quality fabric as he shifted it around in his hands, even smelling it and smiling pleasantly at the fresh linen scent. With a few outfits to choose from, he went with some shorts that went down to a little above his knees along with a light blue tank top since it was hot out.

As he exited the room and began to walk towards the courtyard that was right in front of him, he found himself blushing once he saw Kei. The prince had changed as well, though Kai hadn't seen it due to the curtain partition that separated Kai's part of the room from Kei's. He had on some white light weight pants that he had rolled up to his knees and a plain purple shirt. He sat on a lone bench underneath a tree that provided ample shade. He figured the prince probably stayed out of the sun as much as possible due to his pale skin. From working in the fields, Kai's skin was bronzed from the sun. Seeing the prince showing a bit more skin than usual was enough to make him gawk. He quickly looked elsewhere once Kei glanced over in his direction.

"There you are. Come over here," he said, patting the spot on the bench next to him and putting his book off to the side.

Kai nodded with a gulp and did as he asked, whistling as he awkwardly sat next to him.

"Now, I'm just waiting on the knight. He should be here any minute. You'll start learning a bit of defense, so you can at least somewhat protect me if needed, though I'm rather versed in the sword and strategy myself. It's not like I need protection, but the queen insists, so I must."

Kai only had to wait there for a bit longer before he heard approaching footsteps.

"Oh, there you are Nakano." Kei waved him over before looking back to his book.

Kai glanced over to see a guy who looked to be around his age with reddish hair walking over to them.

"This is Kou Nakano. He's one of our best knights. He'll teach you the basics, so yeah, go about that as you will. Nakano, this is my new servant, Kaito, or Kai for short I guess."

"Oh, pleasure to meet you, Kai." Kou glanced his way and bowed slightly. "I'll teach him hand to hand first, then move onto swords."

"Sounds like a plan," Kei yawned, focusing his interest back on the book fully, fanning himself from time to time.

Kou had Kai follow him out to the middle of the courtyard and out of the shade where they had more room to freely move around.

"Sorry, I know training in this sun isn't ideal, but the prince always needs a knight or servant near him, so we can't leave his vicinity," Kou said, rolling up his sleeves and pants already.

"He probably enjoys watching us from the comfort of the shade anyway," Kai chuckled and waited for instructions.

"Plus, it's not a bad view anyway," he snickered, glancing over at Kei's legs with interest.

"You have a crush or something?" Kai teased, though he couldn't deny that the prince did have charms in his looks.

"I mean, who doesn't? I've never seen him show much romantic interest in anyone, though because of the rumors going on about him, the amount of suitors coming here has dropped significantly. Even with the whole immortality thing, you can't deny his looks, but I'm just a knight anyway. I'm not even from this kingdom."

Kou had them start with some basic hand to hand combat defense, showing Kai the proper stance and how to hold up his fists and swing.

"You're not from this kingdom?" Kai asked in interest while he was throwing a few light punches, already starting to build up a sweat.

"Yup, I'm from a kingdom to the south. I'm sure you've heard at least a few things about a man named Satou. He rules a small kingdom to the south, but it's growing rapidly due to them constantly battling the surrounding territories. Satou loves fighting and war. It seemed fine at first, like his cause seemed just, but I soon found out that that just cause is all a front for his games. I fled his kingdom and ended up here bruised and bloodied. The Nagai's took me in, and I soon became a knight, swearing my loyalty to them."

"I see..I have heard a few things about Satou. Some call him the 'Immortal King.' They say he doesn't stay down when it seems like he gets killed. It sounds kind of similar to what Prince Kei is known for..think it's a similarity?"

"Possibly, the prince is starting to be called immortal too. I mean, it can't be just a coincidence, but we shouldn't talk about this too loudly. The prince doesn't care for talk of immortality and Satou that much," he whispered, looking over towards Kei.

Though it seemed like Kei was completely concentrated on his book, he did glance up at the two from time to time. Kai had noticed this a few times. Every time their eyes would accidentally meet, Kei would blush and quickly glance back down at his book.

"He seems like a hard one to figure out, but we'll see. I'm pretty good at reading people once I have some time to get to know them," Kai said as he practiced blocking.

"Well, maybe you'll be the first to figure the prince out. I've been here for about a month now, but I still feel like I know almost nothing about him even though I have spent some time with him. Odd thing is he acts like he shows no interest, but he shows up a lot when I'm sparring or practicing. I've sparred with him a few times and gone riding on the horses with him. I'm still not quite sure what he thinks of me. Sometimes I feel like there's something, then other times not. He seems to like you already, though, so maybe with you he'll open up some more."

"Now, be honest with me, Kou. Do you have a crush on him? Because, to me, it sounds like you do." Kai smirked and caught Kou's fist in mid swing.

The other's face went almost completely red even though his cheeks were already flushed from the heat.

"Well, uh, I mean..he does, um, interest me. I've never met anyone like him, and he is..handsome I suppose and a good fighter," Kou stammered, trying to find some kind of justifiable reason.

"Hmm, I knew it. I admit that I might be starting to develop one myself."

"You too? You're not the competitive type, are you? Are we going to start fighting for his affections?"

"Fight? I say we both work together to get him to open up. There's no reason to fight over him," Kai chuckled and clasped Kou's shoulder. "Alright?"

"Alright." Kou smiled and sighed as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "This heat's getting a bit much. Let's go back to the shade and take a break."

Kei glanced over when the two of them returned to the shade, panting and immediately lying on the cool grass underneath the tree.

"We're just taking a break, Prince Kei," Kou muttered, closing his eyes and enjoying the cool breeze.

"It's not a problem. It is quite hot out."

Kei spotted a nearby servant and requested that some freshly squeezed lemonade be brought out here for them. About ten minutes later, a pitcher and three glasses were brought out on a tray. Kei poured one for himself first before telling the other two to drink some.

"Thanks, prince!" they both chirped and practically gulped down the rest of it and lying down in the grass again.

Kei merely nodded with a hint of a smile, wiping his forehead and returning to his book.

"I think that's enough with training sessions for today," he said out loud as he was reading, gaining surprised looks from the other two. "With how hot it is today, I think a refreshing bath is in order. Come on."

"Alright!" Kou cheered and quickly got back on his feet followed by Kai.

"Bath?" Kai asked in curiosity.

"Yeah, this place has a huge bath room. When I say bath, it's more like a small pool or tub. One side is for servants, the other for the royal family and guests. The water will probably be cooler since it's so hot out."

Kai couldn't help but look around in amazement once they entered the room with multiple pools of varying sizes. The room itself even smelled of a nice, fresh fragrance. Sunlight filtered in through translucent curtains. The pastel colors and light gave the room an ethereal feel, like they were in some sort of fantasy. Kou tugged Kai along to the left and started to strip nonchalantly by the pool. Kai followed suit, glancing over towards the right where Kei had gone. The prince had gone behind a partition where only his silhouette could be seen stripping himself of his clothes.

"The prince certainly shows more modesty than us," Kai chuckled, easing into the water once he was completely nude.

The temperature was perfect. It was cold enough where it was pleasantly refreshing but still warm enough to not leave them shivering. Kai immediately relaxed, resting his head against the ledge and sinking deeper into it.

"He always is, which is why I was surprised he was showing more skin, not that I'm complaining."

Kai smirked when he glanced over and saw Kei practically run and jump into the tub before anything could be seen. Eventually, the initial embarrassment dissipated, and he relaxed in the pool, grabbing a nearby sponge and beginning to wash himself. It was all going fine until he reached his back, frowning at the odd angle. He sighed as he glanced over to Kou and Kai who were currently splashing each other.

"Hey, why don't you two make yourselves useful and help me out here," he shouted over to them.

He rolled his eyes at their shocked expressions followed by smug looks as they climbed out and walked over there. Kei averted his eyes elsewhere as they walked over.

"How can we be of service, prince?" Kai asked, kneeling respectfully.

Kei looked between the two, contemplating on how he should do this. He was always careful when choosing.

"Kai, you wash my hair, and Kou..you can massage my feet."

He stretched his legs in front of him then poked his feet out of the water expectantly. Kai had to nudge Kou to get him to move before the other nodded quickly, jumping into the pool in front of Kei and immediately starting to massage his left foot.

"Y-yes, sir! I'm honored."

Kai chuckled as he grabbed a bucket along with some nice smelling shampoo. He started by cupping some water from the pool and carefully pouring it over Kei's hair.

"Just relax, your majesty. We're at your every beck and call."

Kei hummed in reply as he slowly closed his eyes and began to relax as soon as Kai started to massage his scalp.

"I'll certainly try."


	3. Chapter 3

"Mind your hands, Nakano," Kei grumbled whenever he felt them come up on his thigh a bit too high.

Kou would instantly jerk his hands down with a small apology. It was about the third time Kei had to tell him. If it wasn't for Kai expertly massaging his scalp, he would've lost it by now. With that taken care of, Kei relaxed again, closing his eyes and enjoying the pampering.

"You say you haven't been a servant before, Kai. Yet, you're washing my hair and massaging my scalp as well as our more experienced servants."

"I suppose I just have some natural skills when it comes to..servant stuff," he chuckled and grabbed the small vessel, filling it with the warm water of the bath and carefully pouring it over Kei's head to rinse the suds out.

"Well, I'm certainly glad I went with you as a servant then."

While it was quite obvious that Kou was enjoying his job at the moment, Kai quietly enjoyed the view he had of Kei from where he was. He noted the way his pale skin seemed to shine in the sun and how serene and relaxed he looked in this moment. It was something he didn't see often yet. Usually, he looked like he was thinking deeply about something or he wore somewhat of a scowl on his face as he walked through the palace halls. Though, Kai supposed that there was a lot on his shoulders. He seemed hellbent on finding a cure for his sister, which was understandable and Kai thought as noble.

"There's going to be a banquet tonight," Kei said suddenly, opening one eye to glance up at Kai. "Rulers from other kingdoms will be here tonight. I'm aware that they think ill of me, but I want you two on your best behavior, alright?"

"Yes, prince," they both answered in unison.

Kai recalled the things he'd hear Kei referred to as by people in the villages by him: things like inhuman, demon prince, hell spawn. He knew it was mostly out of fear. After all, the prince had supposedly died and came back to life. Anything unnatural like that was bound to get attention.

"It'll be one of the first banquets we've hosted in a long time now that other kingdoms are wanting to associate with us now. We're bound by a common fear, and that is the one who has taken over the lands to the south and burned many kingdoms: Satou."

A chill ran down Kou's back at just the mention of the name. His eyes darkened a bit as it brought back flashes of memories of his time there before he ran.

"Kou, didn't I hear something about how you came from Satou's territory?" Kai asked curiously as he noticed the other's reaction.

"Yeah, I did. He lured me in with a just cause, but their stronghold…it's a nightmare. It's good that the other kingdoms fear him. He's not someone to be messed with. Trust me," he said, slowly nodding. "I'm sorry..I don't really like talking about it."

"Oh, of course. I'm sorry to bring up any bad memories," Kai apologized, bowing his head slightly.

"That's why this banquet is necessary to solidify alliances and get a fellowship started to deal with Satou," Kei said.

He enjoyed the pampering for a few more minutes before slowly sitting up. The water dripped off of his skin and hair as he ran his fingers through the damp strands. His skin now had a light fragrance of water lilies about it as did his hair.

"We should start with the preparations."

The rest of the day was spent with making sure everything was good to go with the food being prepared as well as the ballroom and outdoor courtroom to be used. A few of the guests had already confirmed that they were staying the night, so rooms were prepared as well. During the whole afternoon, the palace was bustling with activity. Servants and knights were running here and there to get everything ready. Kei was to wear his best attire which was completely black with red accents along where the buttons were. His hair was fixed up so his bangs were swept to the side some. Kai couldn't help but blush once he walked out of his room. His crimson eyes seemed to have a sort of gleam to them.

"Wow, you look fantastic, my prince," he said with a bow.

"Hm, seems you clean up rather nicely yourself," Kei remarked as he looked him up and down and nodded in approval. "I'm sure they're all eagerly awaiting me. I'm probably the reason so many showed up."

The ballroom and adjoining courtyard were adorned with glass orbs of light along with plenty of food. It lined the tables beautifully. There was already light music and conversation going on since the queen was out there. Once Kei stepped into the room, everything went silent. Every pair of eyes in that room went directly to him, looking in awe at the grown-up prince.

Two people who stood near the entrance to the courtyard looked especially interested. His blonde hair made him stand out in the crowd as he looked over Kei with his servant by his side.

"So, that's the prince? The one who supposedly can't die?" she asked softly. "If it's true, do you think he knows how to use his ghost yet?"

"I can't say for sure yet. After all, it was only one incident when he was child, though tonight we're going to prove it. I'd guess that he's not even aware of his abilities if he is a demi human. It'll work in our favor since everyone here thinks of him as unnatural."

"Regent Tosaki. I'm so glad you could attend my banquet." Tosaki's demeanor changed instantly as he wore a polite smile as the queen approached.

"Ah, Ms. Nagai. Of course, this is just as political as it is for leisure after all."

"Of course. Everyone here is nervous as to Satou's next move. I hear he stole part of your territory," she said, sipping on a glass of wine.

She was always sure to be in control of the situations and conversations she was in. She was aware that her son was the main source of attention right now, but she wasn't going to let having the royal heads of the other kingdoms all in one place go to waste.

"It was a small territory. It's nothing that concerns me too much, though we can't let him run amuck for much longer. I trust you have an agreement signed for this fellowship you proposed?"

"Of course, after the festivities, we'll all get down to business. But for now, we should relax and be merry."

She excused herself and walked over to Kei once she saw him, taking him to the side.

"I trust you to do what you think is best. Do what you must," she whispered by his ear before walking off to another group.

"What was that about?" Kai asked once he was left alone with Kei.

"Simple strategy," Kei answered and motioned for him to follow.

Kou, as a knight, was acting as one of the guards for the evening. He was positioned by the entrance to the courtyard. He smiled a bit when he spotted Kei and Kai, waving a bit when they looked his way.

Most of the questions directed at Kei pertained to his apparent immortality which he usually answered with a shrug, saying that it happened so long ago he barely remembers any of it.

"Most of what you've heard about me are rumors I'm sure. I'm aware of what people are saying about me. I have nothing to hide."

"Is that so, Prince Nagai?"

Kei's expression soured some when he saw that it was the Regent. He had never been particularly fond of the guy, though he could appreciate his own strategies.

"Regent Tosaki. I didn't know you were here," he said coyly as he glanced to his servant.

"If you have nothing to hide, then perhaps you'd be willing to participate in a little game."

"A game, huh? And what sort of game would that be?" He kept his usual bored expression on, though he felt a bit of tightening in his throat as he waited for his answer.

"Well, it's quite simple: a duel. My servant Shimomura here is quite proficient with the sword. I've heard you are as well. So, how about a duel then?"

At just the mention of a duel, other guests were already starting to flock over there. Kei tutted at the amount of people that showed up just at the mention of a duel. At this point, he didn't really have much of a choice.

"Fine, I accept the challenge. It wouldn't be very princely of me if I refused, now would it?"

Kei gestured for Kou who quickly made his way over, nearly tripping over his own feet in the process.

"What do you need, my prince?"

"Go to the armory and get me my sword."


	4. Chapter 4

Kou was quick to retrieve the sword, nearly tripping over his own feet on the way and knelt on one knee in front of Kei as he presented it to him. Kei took it, getting used to the weight of it in his hands again as he quietly thanked him before turning to Tosaki.

"Let's take this to the courtyard. Outside of the ballroom is the best way to do this," he said as he led the way outside, followed by everyone else who was interested in seeing this.

A guest who had been discussing with the queen took some interest and got out a pipe as he followed the rest. Izumi had already been wearing a sword at her side in its scabbard. She clutched onto it as she walked next to Tosaki.

"Shall I use the ghost on him?"

"Only if you need to to win. This is to found out if he really is immortal. Run the sword right through his chest," he whispered to her. "Don't fail me."

She gulped as she gave a nod. That was easier said than done. The prince was known for his proficiency with combat and strategy, but she always had her ghost if needed. She wasn't entirely sure if Nagai knew how to use his ghost yet if he really was immortal, but it was doubtful. She didn't sense much from him.

Once in the center of a stone circle, Kei pulled his sword out of its scabbard. With the moon out now, its ghostly light shone against the blade, making it look like it was glowing. He waited for Izumi to step into the circle before he held his sword up defensively.

"So, you're using your servant?" he asked with a coy smirk. "I suppose you are more of a strategical man and making others do the actual work."

Tosaki brushed off the comment with a slight laugh.

"I wouldn't underestimate her if I were you. There's a reason I've chosen her to face you in this duel."

Kei shrugged and readied himself, keeping his crimson eyes on her, specifically watching her feet. He found that this strategy almost never let him down. By watching his opponent's feet, he could tell where they were going to go as well as potential weak spots to go for. He did the same here, glancing up at her every now and then but mostly staying focused on her feet. Izumi, from Tosaki, was aware of his little strategy and kept her eyes right on him. She kept note on where he was looking. When silence fell over the small crowd of onlookers, she lunged forward.

Kei was quick to meet her sword with his, the blades clashing with a fury of sound as metal scraped against metal. Izumi's dark eyes met Kei's fiery ones as he glanced at her with his usual bored expression.

"Not bad," he commented and pushed her back with his sword a bit to get a bit of distance between them.

The duel mostly went like this with Izumi mostly on the offensive and Kei on the defensive. He'd wait for an opening and lunge towards her once it was open which oddly enough, always seemed to get blocked somehow. Kei couldn't quite place it. Even though her sword was nowhere near enough and knowing her reflexes weren't fast enough to block it, but it was blocked every time. It felt like an invisible force of some sorts was pushing him back every time he tried to land a hit. He was beginning to grow a bit frustrated and as their swords clashed, he promptly kicked her shin and sent her kneeling on the ground. Sure enough, as he was about to bring the blade down on her neck, it was stopped midair, and Kei was thrown back. Soon, his own sword was knocked out of his hand. The metal sound echoed through the courtyard as it clanged against the stone. Everything was still in that moment: the crowd, Kei, even the wind had ceased. The air lay still, and it was perfectly peaceful in that moment. Kei found himself glancing up at the stars in the dark sky above him. He knew he was done for. He had lost through some miraculous thing. He was at her mercy now.

"Your move," he said simply as he glanced back to her, stretching his arms out to either side in defeat. "Not sure how you did it."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm under orders."

Izumi bit her lip as she thrusted her sword forward, plunging it right through Kei's chest easily.

There wasn't any movement at first as the sword was pushed in deeper. As the point of the blade jutted out from his back, blood began to run down it and drip off of the point to the stone beneath. Kei didn't breathe at first. He didn't dare to, knowing it was just going to be pain. He grit his teeth as his chest tried to rise and fall with his lungs, but the blade sent stinging pain through his whole body. His legs trembled as he fell to his knees and coughed hoarsely as blood trickled from his lips. He looked up to her once more before his eyes grew dim and dull, and he didn't struggle anymore. Once he knelt there completely still and devoid of life, Izumi reluctantly pulled out the sword, sending larger streams of blood onto the stone as a small pool formed with the sword gone. She wicked the sword to the side to get most of the blood off before, sliding it back into the scabbard.

The air now grew tense as everyone anxiously waited to see if the prince would get back up. The queen clasped her hands together tightly, though she looked as calm as she always did while the man with the pipe gave her shoulder a squeeze.

"Good work, Shimomura. Quite the spectacular show," Tosaki remarked.

Izumi only glared at him for a few seconds before looking to the boy's body again.

About a minute later or so, Kei grunted as his eyes slowly opened. In his hazy vision, black dots like some kind of dark snow seemed to be lifting into the air from him. His limbs were shaky, but he could at least breathe properly again without feeling like his torso was going to tear in half. He blinked multiple times as he tried to get his vision clear again as he sat up, though he stayed on his knees as his body adjusted and healed. He could hear whisperings all around him from the onlookers as he slowly got back onto his feet, wiping his eyes with his arm as his vision cleared. The front of his shirt was now stained with blood and ripped where the sword had run through him along with a small pool of blood at his feet, but he was okay, at least he thought he was. This was a confirmation, in a way, for himself. The first time he had died had been so vague and fuzzy in his memories. He had simply hit his head too hard, and it was like waking up from a dream. This, this was much more real and concrete. It still felt stiff and sore where the sword had pierced his chest, but the feeling was gradually going away. As he looked around, everyone else looked to him in fear, whispering amongst each other.

"Looks like you got what you wanted, Regent," he said, turning to face Tosaki. "Congratulations."

"Perhaps it's best if we end this night early," the queen spoke up from the crowd. "Obviously, things need to be discussed here. So, I wish you all a wonderful evening, but I'll be ending this event early besides the ones who will be staying the night: Ogura, Regent Tosaki."

At her command, the guests began to file out besides those two and Izumi. She had servants show them to their rooms and said they'd be meeting in the main dining hall.

"Kei! Are you alright?" Kai ran up to him along with Kou and the two helped him with walking back inside.

"I'll be fine in a bit. I'm just..adjusting to this whole coming back to life thing."

"Of course, we'll get you to your room and get you changed," Kai assured.

With each step, Kei's legs grew less and less wobbly, and soon, he was able to walk on his own without their help. He certainly felt lucky that he really was immortal, but dying like that also hurt like hell, but it was bearable at least.


End file.
